Chapter 24: Who betrayed whom?
Shenmulin Scenic Area, located in H City, is a national 5A-level scenic spot. Before the apocalypse, it was a favorite destination for tourists from home and abroad, who lingered there for hours. However, unbeknownst to many, the undeveloped area had long been sold off and converted into a closed-off animal testing facility.
Between two mountain peaks lies a large expanse of lush bamboo forest, where a subtly reflective glass building sits like a shimmering lake.
The animal dissection room was pitch black, with only a beam of light shining on a vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bag.
A naked female body was tightly wrapped in a plastic bag and lay horizontally on the cold operating table.
A flexible tube, about the thickness of a little finger, is attached to the edge of the bag. Blue liquid rises from below and slowly pours into the vacuum-sealed transparent bag.
Half an hour later, the liquid had filled the entire plastic bag, making it bulge. The woman's body swayed gently inside.
Once the bag was full, the blue liquid stopped flowing in and returned to its source through the tube.
The arm, immersed in the blue liquid, suddenly twitched, its five fingers clenching and then opening, gradually straightening. In the next instant, the tip of its nail pierced the plastic bag, and the blue liquid gushed out, splashing onto the floor with a loud thud.
At the same time, the woman opened her long, classically beautiful eyes.
Her eyes were blank, staring unblinkingly at the overhead light. A few seconds later, two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.
She spread her long arms open the wound, sat up, her chest heaving violently as she breathed heavily, as if sucking on a breast.
A strong smell of blood mixed with disinfectant filled her nostrils, and she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose.
Squeak! Clang! Clang!
I heard the sound of a small animal hitting the glass from behind.
She turned around warily and bumped into a woman's slender waist, very close to her face. She glanced down at the woman's low-heeled shoes. There wasn't a sound.
"Do not move."
The cold touch pressed against both temples.
She felt a fine needle pierce her skin and felt dizzy. When she opened her eyes again, a flood of memories came rushing back.
She remembered. Her name was Bai Zhi, and this was her 49th "rebirth".
Who killed you?
G manager Ji Fenglan closed the memory storage box in her hand.
Bai Zhi lowered her eyes as if thinking of someone, her calm face instantly turning furious, her teeth grinding together.
Qi—Shui—Han!
She was so unwilling to accept it; why did she always lose to her? She pressed her lips tightly together, her face dark with jealousy and hatred.
Beside her, Ji Fenglan waited for a long time for her subordinate's reply, but she was not annoyed. She walked around to sit in front of Bai Zhi, crossed her legs, and pressed her slender calves against the other calf, which was very elegant and proper.
Bathed in the light above, her beautiful face radiated a reassuring glow, a gentle smile played on her lips, and the words that escaped her red lips were like a refreshing breeze.
"Bai Zhi, you should know about clones, so I won't explain further. But I must remind you again that each rebirth will weaken your physical functions, and there is a limit to the number of rebirths. If you don't want to become a pile of flesh that can't take care of itself, you must protect yourself and not die again."
After saying that, Ji Fenglan took out a bag of clothes from under the memory box.
"New. Put it on and go to the examination room for a physical exam."
Place the clothes on her two white thighs.
Bai Zhi snapped out of her daze, glanced at her clothes, and slowly raised her hands. Her ten fingers, having not been used for a long time, now struggled to even open a packaging bag.
Her brow furrowed unconsciously as she focused intently on twisting and turning the plastic bag, showing no intention of seeking help from Ji Fenglan sitting opposite her. Even if the other woman offered, she would resolutely refuse. Besides, Ji Fenglan didn't react at all, sitting motionless in front of her.
She glanced at Ji Fenglan's raised knee, which was directly in her direction. This posture…
Suddenly, I remembered the rumors circulating within the group—that Ji Fenglan had a fetish for looking at female bodies.
The exposed, smooth back aroused a few tiny goosebumps.
She raised her eyes slightly, only to see that Ji Fenglan's face was turned to the side, and she wasn't looking at her.
As if sensing her scrutinizing gaze, or perhaps because she was moving too slowly, Ji Fenglan asked without moving her head, "Do you need any help?"
"No need to trouble G management."
Bai Zhi noticed that her fingers had become much more flexible than before.
After unpacking the bag, opening the clothes and putting them on, I had no more control over my body.
She stepped off the operating table and tried to move her limbs. Turning around, she saw that Ji Fenglan had already stood up and seemed to be going out.
“G Management,” she called out. “Mission failed. Does this mean our deal still continues?”
Ji Fenglan gave a cool, gentle smile.
"Of course we'll continue. We'll have plenty of opportunities. Don't worry, as long as you help me complete the plan, the R management position will be yours. And him..."
He paused deliberately, his eyes mocking Bai Zhi.
"Naturally, it is also something you can control."
Bai Zhi's eyes sparkled, and her chin involuntarily lifted, revealing a smug look, as if she were lost in some long-cherished fantasy.
When she came to her senses, she found herself alone in the pitch-black room.
Bai Zhi walked out of the dissection room, slowed her pace as she passed a glass wall, and glanced inside. Against a light blue background, conveyor belts suspended rows of vacuum-packed female bodies. They had the exact same appearance and body as her.
Her hand touched the thick glass; the clean glass surface reflected the light, revealing her burning gaze.
"Qi Shuihan, once I'm in G management, I'll make you kneel at my feet forever, wishing you were dead. I'll let him see your pathetic and lowly state, for telling him he chose you instead of me."
"I regret it."
Qi Shuihan strained his neck to lift his head, and looked at Mishiko sitting in front of him with the most sincere eyes he had ever had.
Today is the third day she has been locked up in the Merck lab. Her body is covered with needle marks of all sizes, and there is not a single patch of healthy flesh.
“Tell me the whereabouts of Sister Hong and the others, and I'll make Merck stop his research.”
Just as Missy finished speaking, the elusive Merck suddenly jumped out and shouted "NoNoNo!" with great enthusiasm.
His deep eyes, like those of a vulture, were fixed on Qi Shuihan, this piece of fat meat, his greed blatantly obvious. He turned his face to Mi Xike, revealing a pitiful expression, his tall, thin back hunched over like a child defending his new toy from being taken away.
He clasped his hands together and pleaded with Misik in a passionate and moving manner.
"No, absolutely not! You can't let her leave my lab! Missy, I'm really into my research, give her to me, I'll give you a new 'weapon' soon, please."
After pleading several times without any change in Missy's expression, Merck became so anxious that he flung his hand and spun around. He was genuinely afraid that this superpowered experimental subject, which was practically within his grasp, would fly away.
At this moment—
"Her life is in our hands, why bother negotiating with her? If she won't talk, we'll just extract her memories."
Merck looked at the person coming through the door, a girl with a high ponytail and silver-white hair.
She is the future heir of the Rose Group.
The thought of the man behind him made Merck's light blue eyes involuntarily show disgust.
"If you ask about the secrets of the Rose Group," Qi Shuihan glanced at Lin Jingru and smiled, "I can tell you quite a bit, more than the future heir knows."
Lin Jingru's eyes were cold, and she looked down on her.
Qi Shuihan then looked at Mi Xike.
"I truly don't know where Sister Hong is. However, there is someone who can help you; we all know this person."
Three pairs of eyes instantly focused on Qi Shuihan.
"who?"
Qi Shuihan curled the corners of her lips and uttered a name.
"Li Nai."
In an instant, the three pairs of eyes showed different emotions.
Missy's eyes were full of doubt.
Lin Jingru looked at him with surprise.
Merck immediately asked, "WHAT?"
Qi Shuihan took in the expressions of the three men and understood that they were definitely wondering if Li Nai was another undercover agent or a traitor.
"Why are you so sure she knows?" Missy's eyes swirled with suspicion.
"It seems you still don't understand her enough." Qi Shuihan's smile turned mysterious, with a hint of mockery.
Missy seemed to have gotten some answer from her, and a pair of deep eyes with an oriental charm in the Western eye sockets became tinged with a fishy smell.
Qi Shuihan secretly adjusted his mindset to watch the show.
"Did a child also disappear?"
"The child? You mean your child, the one named Mimi?" Merck interjected.
He didn't quite believe Li Nai was an undercover agent, because that kind of brain simply wasn't capable of such a difficult task. Betraying Missy? She definitely didn't have the guts.
“Yes.” Missy recalled that after Mimi disappeared for a few days, Li Nai was not very anxious, nor did he frequently ask her about Mimi’s situation.
"Sister, I'll have someone bring her here and interrogate this traitor properly."
Lin Jingru noticed that her sister was in a terrible mood for a few moments, even angry, which made her feel annoyed as well. As for why she felt this way, she didn't want to delve into it for the time being. All she wanted to do now was to capture Li Nai and torture him severely.
Missy lowered his eyes in silence, as if he was considering something.
Merck nervously glanced at the two of them. He desperately wanted to voice his opinion, but dared not speak rashly for fear of angering them and making them think he was speaking up for Lina.
A tense and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air.
"Wait a minute. You don't actually think Li Nai is an undercover agent, do you?"
Qi Shuihan looked at them with amusement.
The three of them looked at Qi Shuihan again at the same time.
"With her brains and courage, she wouldn't last three minutes on stage."
Merck silently expressed his strong agreement.
"Isn't she? Are you playing us?" Lin Jingru's tone became more forceful.
"I never explicitly said she was an undercover agent; it's all your speculation." Qi Shuihan chuckled and shook his head.
Lin Jingru was furious, but Mi Xike interrupted her.
"Tell me now how to find Sister Hong."
“Okay. I’ll tell you, if Mimi was taken away by Sister Hong, Li Nai will definitely be able to track them down. Because Li Nai can’t live without Mimi.”
Qi Shuihan paused, and what she said next undoubtedly increased everyone's doubts.
“Tell me everything you know. Otherwise…” Missy was clearly losing patience. She gestured to Merck and sternly warned Qi Shuihan not to be coaxing things out.
"Do you know about systems and hosts? You're a young man, you must have read novels."
Qi Shuihan turned to Lin Jingru and asked with her eyes.
The other party ignored her completely, secretly cursing her for being an idiot again.
“Mimi is the system, and Li Nai is the host.” Qi Shuihan’s beautiful fox-like eyes slid back and forth across their faces.
"The system can grant the host powerful abilities, fulfilling whatever they desire. It's like the genie in Aladdin's lamp. That explains why Li Nai is so incredibly powerful, unlike anything humans have ever seen."
"This is unscientific, this is unscientific. Systems and hosts are settings from fantasy novels, how could they possibly appear in reality?" Merck muttered to himself after hearing this, but a hint of eagerness appeared in his eyes.
"Sister, don't listen to her madness. Use my method to extract her memories from her brain. As long as you decide, my people will be here in an hour." Lin Jingru turned her head and whispered to Mi Xike.
Misi raised her eyes and looked at Qi Shuihan with an unclear gaze.
Qi Shuihan seemed to understand, and a smile crept into her fox-like eyes.
"Tomorrow, you will know Sister Hong's exact whereabouts. Now, please let me go."
Merck understood the last sentence. "Misik, we can't let her leave the lab."
Misiko completely ignored Merck, raised her finger, and pointed it at Qi Shuihan from afar.
"Lock her in a cell."
Two menacing-looking henchmen appeared, and Merck reluctantly untied Qi Shuihan from her restraints.
They carried Qi Shuihan past Mixic.
"Behave yourself, or I'll catch you no matter where you are."
Misi's long, thick eyelashes swept across her face, her gaze deliberately lingering on Qi Shuihan's forehead.
Qi Shuihan understood her meaning; they had installed a tracking chip on the back of her head. This would not only allow them to track her whereabouts but also suppress the supernatural abilities within her.
Looking directly into Misiko's eyes, with a calm and collected expression, she said, "I want to see Li Nai, and you are not allowed to stop me."
Missy paused for a moment, then nodded slightly.
The man with both hands removed continued walking. Just before leaving, Qi Shuihan glanced sideways and quickly looked towards the room where the super zombie was being held.
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